"I just love this soup, I've already made it a zillion times. It also freezes great. This requires the hocks to cook in the broth in another pot until they are very tender so you will need 2 pots. Total cooking is around 2 1/2 hours that's including the cooking of the smoked hocks. If you don't have smoked ham hocks, you can use smoked turkey drumsticks really anything smoked will do"

Original is 6 servings

Metric US

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Step by Step Method

Step 1

In a large pot, add the chicken broth and smoked hocks; bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover tightly with a lid and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until the hocks are tender.

Step 2

When the hocks are tender, remove from the broth and remove the meat, return the meat to the broth.

Step 3

In another heavy large pot heat some olive oil. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Simmer until the juices evaporate a little and the tomatoes break down, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat.

Step 4

Ladle in all the cooked hock meat and all the broth from the other pot, and the thyme; bring to a simmer, cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Step 5

After 30 minutes of cooking time, stir in the pasta, continue simmering until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.